Are You an Introvert?

By Jenise Jackson
Blog Content Contributor

I think majority of us all have that one friend who they consider the introvert of the group. And if you’re like me, you are that introvert. Sure, you might find me out for a night on the town or hang out with great people from time to time, but I really find a great solace in being alone. Am I uppity? No. Am I shy? Not necessarily. I’d just rather be my own company a majority of the time.

A lot of the time people mistake being shy as being introverted as well and that’s not necessarily the case. To be shy means that you are or appear to be nervous and timid while in the company of others. To be introverted means that you prefer to turn inward mentally and feel more energized by yourself. Trust me there are plenty of introverts that are outgoing. Even I seem quiet at times, but I swear I’m a person who can be a lot of fun and center of attention if you catch me at the right time.

If you’ve ever questioned whether or not you are an introvert, here are some signs that might reveal the truth to you.

You Get Overly Excited Over Cancelled Plans

Is it bad that the feeling I get from this is pure bliss? Sometimes it just takes a lot of energy to force myself to interact with the outside world, so I just end up choosing not to do it. It’s not that I wouldn’t love to have a good time with my friends. I would just much rather binge watch a Netflix series, read a great novel, make music that no one listens to or whatever else I can do by myself. So if you are canceling plans on me nine times out of ten it won’t bother me one bit. As a matter of fact, shout out to you.

You Can Go MIA Without Warning

I think I do this so often that people start to wonder if I am still alive. I’m not one of those people who has to inform others of my every move. I could be making big moves and not even those closest to me would know. Thanks to the advancement in social media, I can still feel like I’m in the loop of everything. Perfect!

Sleeping is Your Favorite Hobby

While most of my friends like to go out and party at night, you can find me in the bed sleeping peacefully. Actually, you can find me anywhere, at any time, sleeping if I have the opportunity. Like I said earlier, social interaction is draining so I need my time to recuperate. I may or may not keep a pillow and blanket in my car for this exact purpose.

You Actually Hate Long Phone Calls and FaceTiming

Unless you are my significant other or someone extremely close to me, please do not expect me to readily want to talk to on the phone. If you can’t keep the conversation under five minutes, it’s best that you not even bother hitting me up. And please do me a favor–do not go from texting me to FaceTiming me without warning. I promise I see the phone ringing and I’m just waiting for it to stop while I look at my reflection. That might be petty, but oh well.

I can say that the beauty of being an introvert is that I have chosen to surround myself with some extremely extroverted people. They help me break out of my comfort zone when I’ve been cooped away for a little bit too long. There are some people who look down on others for being introverted, but there really is no problem with being one. You can still be interested in others and it doesn’t mean you’re boring. The time you take to reflect on your inner being and thoughts just might help you experience the world in a reflective manner.

Featured illustration by Lily Connor.